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For the second time in a month, the S.C. Supreme Court has ruled against openness and punted important issues back to the Legislature for change.
On July 16, the court ruled that autopsy records are exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act because they are medical records.
Why does this matter to the public?
It matters because the next time police shoot an innocent man, don’t expect the public to have access to the autopsy report giving the details of the death.

In last month’s column, I talked about the county budget process. The budget was given final approval upon third reading of the budget ordinance June 23 by a unanimous vote of Lancaster County Council.
This month’s column will highlight what was in the budget and discuss some of the items that were not in the budget.

I’d like to discuss some issues that are causing new businesses not to want to locate here. Lancaster is having trouble producing enough skilled workers to fill needs of prospective businesses and companies. I’m talking welders, HVAC technicians, machine operators, etc.
So, what are some answers that will address this problem?

Why does the world continue to cater to the ultimate spoiled child?
When a child with homicidal tendencies acts out, he or she is usually put away somewhere safe, for the good of everyone.
What happens when this spoiled child is the renegade, insane leader of a nuclear power? What happens when this monster kills his own, openly and without remorse, just to show the world he can?
Is there any question who I am referring to?

Lancaster County Republicans have much to be proud of in the recent Republican primary elections.

The strong turnout in the June 10 election provided more proof of the county’s growing embrace of the Republican Party, as roughly four times as many voters chose to vote in the Republican primary (4,472-952) than the Democratic primary. It is a telling sign that in a stronghold of Democrats like Jim Hodges and the late Tom Mangum when a Republican Party primary has a four-to-one advantage over the Democratic primary.

In the Lancaster County Treasurer’s Office, we pride ourselves on providing quality customer service to the people who pay our bills, as part of my commitment to put taxpayers first in Lancaster County.

While nobody enjoys paying taxes, one of our top priorities is to make paying your taxes simple and easy.

Bill Moyers has said, “When a library is open, no matter its size or shape, democracy is open, too.”

Your public library is democracy in action. The tiniest child is as important as the most generous benefactor. The Lancaster County Library provides everything from free downloadable titles to gift books for newborns.

In early May, thousands of people turned out at Finlay Park in Columbia for “Strides for Autism,” a fundraising walk to raise support for the S.C. Autism Society. And about a month earlier, a similar event at Heritage Park in Simpsonville saw an impressive turnout.

It was heartening, but not surprising, to see those events so well-attended. Over the years, as I’ve met and spoken with families affected by autism, I’ve been moved by how strongly they support each other and rally around a shared cause.